With frequent spells of snowfall and freezing temperature in May end, weather in Himachal seems to have turned ‘uncommon’ which has made life miserable for both people and administration. High hills of Himachal, including Lahaul valley, are getting heavy snowfall on Thursday. Keylong in Lahaul has received 5cm snow; fresh snow accumulation at Gulaba has reached nearly 10cm while it is over 20cm on Rohtang pass. Jalori pass on Kullu-Shimla bypass is also experiencing snowfall while almost all hills in Chamba, Kullu, Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti and Kangra with height more than 12,000 are receiving heavy snowfall since Thursday morning. The active western disturbances are causing rain in mid and low hills of the state. The mercury has plunged in all parts of Himachal and its freezing in high altitude areas. Border Roads Organization (BRO) has lost its predetermined target of April 15 to open Rohtang for vehicular traffic as snowfall has again blocked a large portion of highway which was recently opened. “We had opened 32km Manali-Marhi highway from south of Rohtang and from north side it was 5km beyond Koksar. Frequent snowfall is not allowing us to work continuously and now we’ll have to remove snow from Gulaba (26km) and Koksar one more time,” BRO commander Colonel Yogesh Nair said. On other side, Baralacha-la on Manali-Leh highway is also getting heavy snowfall; BRO will restart its snow clearance operation from Darcha in Lahaul. Snowfall on higher reaches and cold waves in lower valleys are nightmare for farmers and fruit growers. Snow in Lahaul is delaying sowing of peas, one of the two cash crops of district, apple growers in Kullu, Shimla and Mandi fear damage to apple crop which is on its blooming stage. Bringing slight shivers back, state capital Shimla experienced moderate rain all the day. In last 24 hours,
With frequent spells of snowfall and freezing temperature in May end, weather in Himachal seems to have turned ‘uncommon’ which has made life miserable for both people and administration. High hills of Himachal, including Lahaul valley, are getting heavy snowfall on Thursday. Keylong in Lahaul has received 5cm snow; fresh snow accumulation at Gulaba has